Bullying and incivility at work: An evidence review

Interpersonal conflict and uncivil behaviour, such as bullying and harassment, are remarkably common in the workplace. The persistence of such serious incidents highlights that ‘workplace incivility’ is a major HR issue. 

Incivility at work has negative consequences for employees, teams and organisations. It negatively impacts the attitudes, behaviour and health of staff, notably leading to higher levels of anxiety and depression, reduced self-esteem and performance, and increased absenteeism and turnover. It is vital that employers are equipped to understand where such behaviour stems from and how to prevent it.

This evidence review investigates the key drivers of bullying and incivility, to help employers shut it down at its root and maintain healthy relationships among staff. It also considers what interventions are the most promising solutions for preventing or reducing incivility.

• See the practice summary for the main insights and practical recommendations for action. 
• See the scientific summary for our methodology and technical information on the research and study references.